Reviewed by Marcella
TITLE: Bad Crowd
SERIES: Bad Crowd
AUTHOR: Chloe B. Young
PUBLISHER: NineStar Press
LENGTH: 293 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2023
BLURB:
Sometimes, safety and danger can be the same person.
Gideon Orchard has enough baggage to fill a cargo ship. Two years ago, he left his abusive family, but the urges he’s always tried to suppress won’t be ignored any longer. Desperate to submit, he stumbles into a notorious fetish club…and right into the lap of its captivating manager.
Mal Brannon can’t believe his luck when sweet, scared, and determined Gideon falls into his arms, completely uneducated in BDSM culture and begging for proper instruction. Their romance intensifies more quickly than either of them expects, but an unsavory figure from Mal’s past threatens their relationship and their lives.
Running from the past may be tough, but escaping with their future will be harder.
REVIEW:
I’ll start with being entirely honest. When I read the blurb, I thought the book sounded really tacky. But the moment I began to read it, I discovered that first thoughts are usually not the right ones. The book really surprised me, both story- and BDSM-wise.
I really, really loved the characters in the book. Mal is just the right level of danger without actually being dangerous, and Gideon has the right amount of puppy energy to make their relationship very interesting. I did think their falling in love was very quick and sudden, but it made so much sense. They are the definition of love at first sight, which isn’t the first time I have read that trope. It might seem like it was fast, but it made sense, it didn’t feel unnatural at all.
The plot twists in the book were amazing as well. I didn’t expect them at all, although I am a bit sad that some of the questions that caused the plot twists were never properly answered, leaving me with questions.
The writing style of the book makes it wholly accessible, it’s an easy read with captivating language to keep you drawn in. I did wonder, though, why the writing style seemed to change halfway through the book. There were sudden additions of text between brackets, which weren’t there before. It wasn’t necessarily bothering me, it simply struck me as odd as it was quite a sudden change in style with no clear indicator as to why.
The spice level in the book was truly perfect as well. The BDSM parts were properly worked out, they made sense, and due to Gideon’s inexperience, everything was explained in the beginning. They set proper boundaries and the role BDSM played in their relationship made sense, was natural, and was a good addition. It made me happy to read such an extensive representation, and it definitely made me wonder if my partner and I could replicate some of those moments *winkwink*.
Overall, the book brought me happiness, tears, surprise, and kept me captivated until I reached the final pages. I truly recommend everyone to step past the tacky blurb and read this one!
RATING: 
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